Roberto De Zerbi can be criticized for many things. Certainly not to have courage. On April 1, the Italian technician was not joking when he agreed to take charge of Tottenham, who had already exhausted two coaches with Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor. Stuck at the bottom of the rankings and unable to string together good results, the English club did everything to recruit him, convinced that he would be the man for the job to save Spurs from an industrial disaster. Free since his departure from OM, RDZ initially declined the invitation before finally accepting this major challenge. Certainly one of the greatest of his coaching career so far. When he arrived, the British team was 16th in the Premier League. Today she is 17th. But the mindset has changed and confidence has returned to the Spurs ranks. However, it was very far from being won at the start for De Zerbi. If his experience and his playing philosophy were praised by some, the 46-year-old Italian took a wave of criticism in the face from supporters and associations who criticized him for having supported Mason Greenwood, who we no longer want to hear about in the country since his domestic violence affair.
In addition to this, the transalpine technician also raised questions within the media and among consultants. Some felt that he was not the coach who could save Tottenham’s skin. This was the case for Danny Murphy, formerly of the house. “You know, if you recruit someone who plays pragmatically, the chances of success are slim. I think they like him (De Zerbi) for the long term and are counting on him to keep them in the Premier League, whatever the cost. But if you asked me, for the next seven matches, if I would prefer to have Dyche rather than De Zerbi, I would say yes. Tim Sherwood was also skeptical. “I love his personality and the way his teams play. But they can be vulnerable and get crushed during certain matches. We can’t afford to get crushed by the end of the season.” More than a month after his arrival, the tone is very different. After a defeat against Sunderland, his team had a draw against Brighton then 2 victories against Wolverhampton and Aston Villa. The results therefore follow for RDZ, which also puts its paw on a workforce which is gradually regaining color. However, here again, nothing was spared for the former OM coach who lost several players to injury, including Xavi Simons.
The RDZ bet is paying off little by little
Despite this, he was able to adapt and even reinvent himself. He received praise from the British press, like theEvening Standard. “Roberto De Zerbi masterminded an impressive turnaround at Tottenham after they climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 away win over Aston Villa last weekend. Just a month after taking over from interim manager Igor Tudor, De Zerbi has already collected seven points from his first four matches, putting Spurs in pole position in the race to remain in the Premier League. De Zerbi inherited a team that had not won in the league since December and looked headed for relegation to the second division for the first time since 1977. Now, with three games remaining, they are a point ahead of 18th-placed West Ham and know their destiny is in their hands. Since arriving in north London, De Zerbi has dealt with numerous injuries, notably losing Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons to all out for the remainder of the season. The Italian was, however, strengthened by the return of Rodrigo Bentancur after a serious hamstring injury. »
L’ES continues: “Bentancur’s return to form has energized the Spurs midfield, with the Uruguayan bringing energy and dynamism to the heart of the game. Spurs showed a completely different side against Brighton, buoyed by Bentancur’s tireless performance. Since the Uruguayan’s return to the team, Spurs have looked much more balanced, and the 28-year-old was once again a key part of their thumping victory over Villa in just 25 first-half minutes last Sunday. De Zerbi has opted for a midfield combination he can trust, with Conor Gallagher and JoĂŁo Palhinha alongside Bentancur. Solving Spurs’ problems in midfield has been De Zerbi’s biggest challenge, but it has arguably become their greatest strength. De Zerbi has been full of praise for the England midfielder, placing him at the heart of his plan to keep Spurs in the Premier League. Gallagher’s intensity is essential to De Zerbi’s style of play. Gallagher has been a controversial figure throughout his career, but he has found his place in De Zerbi’s set-up and is expected to play a crucial role for the remainder of the season. »
A team that is slowly transforming
Defensive solidity is also one of the positive points.“Spurs had conceded 20 goals in their last seven matches when De Zerbi took charge at the end of March, and had not kept a clean sheet in the league since New Year’s Day. The team was completely disorganized defensively when De Zerbi took charge, and there were few signs of improvement as they conceded three goals in their first two matches. Since conceding the equalizer at home to Brighton in added time, Spurs have displayed a completely different face in defense. Spurs’ defense has been the backbone of their recent upturn in form and could be the difference against West Ham. Tottenham is doing more than limiting the damage under the orders of Roberto De Zerbi. THE Telegraph is also seduced by the new face of the Spurs to whom RDZ had asked “to press high and show energy and great combativeness to recover the ball” during the success against Villa. A meeting which allowed us to see progress for the Telegraph.
“The match demonstrated the speed of the changes that the Italian is trying to make in the face of this crisis. Spurs returned to winning ways in the league for the first time since August, as they battle to stay in the Premier League. The midfield is more resistant (…) Two victories, starting with this evening against Leeds United, would ensure the maintenance of Spurs and relegate West Ham. De Zerbi has at least given Spurs hope after the mistakes of the Igor Tudor era (…) De Zerbi has fielded a team that seems much more solid in this fierce fight for points. The best player under Tudor was young Archie Gray, who adapted to new positions and was able to breathe new life into the team despite flagging confidence. De Zerbi preferred to field a midfield composed of Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur and either Yves Bissouma, or – against Aston Villa – JoĂŁo Palhinha. The challenge was to put together a different team, capable of holding their own in midfield and maintaining the intensity necessary to win matches at this stage of the season. Regarding players like Bentancur and Palhinha, De Zerbi explained that it was a question of ‘experience’.” The shadow work of the Italian, who is at the same time manager, coach and psychologist, is praised.
An all-terrain trainer
“At the Spurs training center, De Zerbi made his beliefs clear. According to internal sources, he was extremely positive and complimentary towards the players and staff. No major changes have been undertaken, except to restore morale to the team after a catastrophic season marked by three successive coaches – a real disaster for the squad, their assistants and the medical and physical preparation services. De Zerbi arrived with just two assistants – compared to many more usually – and set about revitalizing a club in the midst of a crisis. The players appreciate it and responded. There is still a long way to go and a historic relegation of a Big Six club is still possible on May 24, but it is at least a start in the colossal work of turning around Spurs in 2026. Privately, De Zerbi has been particularly keen to restore the confidence of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, whose start, subsequent errors and first-half substitution against AtlĂ©tico Madrid were among the worst moments of the era Tudor. With Vicario Guglielmo’s injury, there is no doubt that De Zerbi needs Kinsky.
The RDZ bet is slowly paying off. But there is still work to be done, as the coach assures us. “We are going to face one of the best teams at the moment, because in their last five or six matches our opponents have beaten Manchester United. They drew at Bournemouth playing well. They have won twice at home, against Wolverhampton and Burnley. For this we have great respect. We cannot think otherwise. We must maintain this state of mind. We must remain humble. Nothing changes. We have to prepare for an important match. And play the same way. We didn’t play very well against Wolves, but for the first 30 minutes we played a decent game. Against Brighton at home we played very well throughout the 90 minutes and extra time. We have to stay focused on this type of performance, this attitude, this state of mind, and continue to show the quality of our players. Answer this evening at 9 p.m. against Leeds.
